Has your car seen better days? Do you remember the time that you used to spend hours polishing your car on the weekend? Even your neighbors gave up gossiping about your infatuation for your dream machine. Well those days are but a dull memory. You now look away when approaching your rust bucket; your son asks you to drop him off around the corner in case his friends see the state of your old banger. You would love to upgrade it but the cash flow is an issue and you cannot afford an expensive respray. Well there is a cheaper solution and it's staring you in the face.

Do It Yourself!

You have nothing to lose after all because your car looks like it's on its last legs. Even if the mechanics are in good order, it will be fairly worthless unless you can restore its bodywork.

Equipment and Materials

First of all you will need an electric sprayer; there is no way a standard aerosol tin will do a proper job. You can buy these at your local car maintenance shop or you can hire one just as easily. Also on your shopping list will be plenty of primer paint and the correctly color coded top coat for your car. A bucket and sponge will also be required but you should have these lying around in your garage somewhere.

Preparation Is The Key

It may seem strange, but first you should wash your car and remove all of the dirt and grease that has built up everywhere. The grease can cause serious issues with your new paint bonding to the surface. Use masking tape and newspaper to block off the areas that do not need painting or priming. This includes your windows and door handles.

Buff Away

Use a medium grade sandpaper to remove the rusty layer that will no doubt be apparent. Employ a circular motion and repeat until you have reached the bare metal under the primed area.

Filling Time

It is likely that your car will have some dents as well as the holes caused by rust, use a recommended putty to fill these irregularities. It is imperative that these holes are level with the bare metal surface, use a putty knife to achieve the best results.

Prime Time

Now the surface needs to be primed and you can use a paintbrush for this stage. Allow it sufficient time to dry and ensure the level is still flat.

Spray Away

Using your electrical sprayer you should apply very thin coats of paint and use light and even strokes. Wait for each coat to dry before applying the next coat. Ensure there is no build up of paint because this will result in an unsightly layer.

Clear Lacquer

When your respray looks like the business you need to protect it efficiently using a clear lacquer. This process can be completed using the same actions as applying the paint earlier. Do not apply too many or too thick a coat, one or two are plenty.

Congratulations!

Provided you follow these steps carefully you will be able to relive your car's glory days once more!

Stop Smoking Easily and for Keeps! This article is written for smokers who have had moments of doubt, for those who have not only wanted to quit but have tried to. The article is written for those who were full of hope, who soared on the wings happiness when they felt they were about to succeed in kicking a habit they knew was hurting them. It is an article, in short, for smokers who have tried and failed to quit.

Failure is something people would rather forget. Let's look at it for a moment instead. To pretend bitter moments of failure never existed prevents one realizing that what bobs in the wake of failed attempts to quit smoking is the conviction that quitting smoking is impossible to do. There is no logic in it. Nevertheless, who hopes to quit smoking but instead of doing it experiences the let-down of failure must view the dream of living a smokeless life as a disappointment. Who is disappointed loses trust. If you cannot trust yourself to quit smoking, who can you trust? The reason you think you cannot quit smoking relates to the fact that you have tried a number of times and have failed.

Is nicotine addiction stronger than you are? If you rely on your past experience of wanting to quit and not doing it, the answer is yes! The statistics concerning nicotine addiction are downright depressing. Experts, matching the number of attempts to quit smoking against the number of successes, have concluded that addiction to nicotine is worse than heroin addiction is! This is grist for the fear that you cannot stop smoking. Why make a fool of yourself all over again? Your self-esteem is on the line, now isn't it?

No! Since you are a burned child, in every sense of the word, burned by the smoke that stings you and by your failed attempts to quit, efforts to distance yourself from a commitment to quitting smoking is a natural reaction. Rather than tell yourself, "I'm quitting today," you entertain thoughts of what the best ways to quit smoking are. After all, you can go on living with a wrinkled face, now can't you? There are stop smoking shots to consider. There are stop smoking cigarettes, ones you can puff on without really smoking. There is nicotine gum, stop smoking patches, hypnotherapy to stop smoking -- you name it, it is out there.

Psst! Want a hot smoking tip? Why not stop smoking naturally? What does this mean? To stop smoking naturally means to be a nonsmoker like you were before you started! Today you smoke; you have smoked now for quite some time. Things have changed in your life during that time. For example, there are many things, many interests you have let fall since you started smoking. Many of them are sporty things, active things, interests you developed in the days before you smoked -- things you did. The acceleration of your smoking habit modified your needs; things you loved doing before you smoked gradually gave way to sitting around smoking, drinking coffee and chatting with your friends. It is easier for someone who has difficulty breathing freely through both nostrils to smoke cigarettes while trading jokes and gossip with your pals. It is less demanding than it is to shower and dress for a tennis match.

None of this alters the fact that you are the same person you were before you smoked. Smoking has replaced some of the things you did before your nicotine addiction took hold of you; but what this means is that the changes smoking has introduced into your life are not traceable to you but to your smoking. The difference, in short, between the you who smokes and the you who did not smoke is your continually smoking cigarettes! What this means is the minute you kick the smoking habit, the you who lived and breathed before you smoked will begin to return to you. The interests you let drop in favor of having another cigarette will, like little lambs, all start flocking home the moment you stop smoking.

Let me note here that anyone who inhales tobacco smoke, whether from a pipe, cigars or cigarettes, suffers pretty much the same effects. Thus, the phrase 'smoking cigarettes' is meant to include anyone who inhales tobacco smoke.

What force moved the past efforts you made to stop smoking onto the failure list? Probably the most popular excuse people give for failing to quit is that their willpower broke down in the decisive moment. Did you will yourself to smoke? The answer is no. Willpower has nothing to do with your smoking. Therefore it has nothing to do with stopping smoking. What keeps you smoking is the fact that the body very quicly rids itself of the nicotine you take in. When the pleasure centers in your brain stem, "the brain's brain" notice a decline in the level of nicotine in your blood, it sends a neural message out, to which you intellectually respond with an incredible outpouring of excuses to redress the discovered imbalance in the levels of nicotine your pleasure centers crave since the replenishment of nicotine is what they have become used to.

In practice, this means when you have not inhaled any smoke for a while, a galaxy of sensations communicate the fact that should re-supply the nicotine that has gone missing. When people intentionally stop themselves from reaching out for their habitual next cigarette, the feeling steals over them, a shrill, insistent, "Time for another one!" feeling. To defy this call for action centers new nonsmokers' attention on the current sensations they are perceiving. "Hm-mm, my throat is dry. Oops, Isn't that a wee headache I'm feeling? What's that sensation in my lungs?" All the minutiae smoking has created in a smoker's body suddenly spring to attention like soldiers on parade, commanding every inch of a new nonsmoker's idle attention. Smokers attribute the creaks, the wheezing, the aches and pains, the cravings they feel when they stop to not having smoked for a while, when in fact what is happening is that they are coming to notice, with a new-timer's intense accuracy, the sensations smoking causes them to feel now that they are turning down new calls for a cigarette. Continual inhalation of fresh smoke masks the sensations your smoking through the years has caused. New nonsmokers notice the damage smoking has done them; but instead of calling their sensations of pain by their right names call them "withdrawal symptoms" instead.

The psychology of tobacco addiction is a tracery of evasions: smokers will do almost anything to stop themselves from realizing the extent to which their addiction has done them in; their rationalizations are the direct result of physical changes their bodies have sustained. The addicts, meanwhile, fastidiously deny every scrap of evidence of this, avoiding every thought of why smoking is bad. Why not quit smoking forever? Without anyone mentioning her breathing at all, Eleanor will tell you she is wheezing today because of the high humidity index!

She saw it on the news!

Smokers are fully capable of dealing with the myths that keep them going; what one has invented one may just as easily recognize and rid oneself of. Being conscious means knowing one's own mind; Eleanor is capable of seeing through her rationalizations because every one of them is hers. She knows the reasons to stop smoking, too...

Smokers turn on themselves the minute they stop smoking. They turn on themselves instead of noticing all the positive signs resulting from the refusal to pull nicotine, tar, chemical additives, free radicals and all the other elements contained in smoke deep down into their lungs. The reason smokers do so is it is the mainstay of keeping their smoking habit alive. Without the incredible inventory of lies smokers invent to reach out for their next cigarette, the smoking habit would die from sheer lack of attention!

The actual sensations quitting smoking brings result from your body's freeing itself of nicotine within a day. Eight hours after your last cigarette, levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide normalize. In 24 hours, your risk of heart attack decreases. After 2 days, damaged nerve endings start growing back. By the third day, lung capacity starts increasing. In 2 to 12 weeks, this increase will reach 30%. Circulation improves. Over the next few months, cilia start growing back in the lungs, bringing fewer infections, less coughing and shortness of breath with them as they develop. The greatest long-term benefit is a steady decline in your chances of getting cancer. Ten years after quitting, your chances of developing lung cancer are the same as though you had never smoked.

Smokers, in a word, lie to themselves the whole day through in order to keep smoking. Imagine what telling yourself the truth will do in place of the crazy dialog of lies smokers practice in the privacy of their rather confused minds. When a smoker coughs a pathetic, wracking smoker's cough in a public place, often sympathetic friends, or even total strangers, turn one's way and say, "Hey, you really might think of getting rid of your smoking habit. It breaks my heart to hear a cough like yours. Please think about looking after yourself a bit better..." This is as open and honest as a smoker's musings are private and twisted. "Look, she's a wonderful, rich, popular movie star and she's smoking my brand in the love scene, too WOW."

Nonsmoking is something you can do. It is not only wonderfully easy once you get the knack of it, you will start feeling better in a thousand ways from the very first day! Stopping is the antithesis of the self-torture smokers put themselves through by smoking, by working overtime pretending they do not notice the things they notice very well indeed. The trick is not admitting it, how clever!

Why not quit fooling yourself?

To smoke is to pretend you have mastery in a basic master-slave relationship. Nicotine addiction is the master over every smoker who is the habit's slave. Smokers are the habit, the means by which the habit stays alive and the victims of the habit all in one! Smokers devote their waking lives coddling their habit with a new excuse for every single cigarette they smoke.

To lie is to keep the truth to yourself. To lie is to tell the victim whatever you think he or she will believe. Lying, in other words, is a theft! Liars keeps what they know is good and offer their victims stuff they know is worthless. What is the situation, then, when you lie to yourself? You are liar and victim all in one. Stand tall. Do what you know you should have done the moment you started smoking. Quit smoking publicly and privately all in one! Quit pretending to quit when you know you can't and won't. Be who you know yourself to be and please remember, you are also a person who never smoked at all! You can happily be that way again.

You just can't go wrong with choosing an edible favor for your party favor - nearly everyone loves receiving their very own delicious treat. 'Edibles' can cover a lot of ground including candy and cookies, honey and jams, popcorn or caramel corn, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, lemonade and cocktail mixes, etc. They can also take two forms - purchased or homemade (the latter often being a money saver).

Purchased:

The advantage of purchasing edible favors are three-fold: 1) there's little to no work on your part, 2) edible favors are usually nicely packaged for gift gifting, and 3) many such favors offer personalized labels specific to the occasion.

You can also run the gamut of inexpensive to extravagant (and typically expensive) favors - it all depends on your budget and the impression you want to make at your event. Edible favors on the more inexpensive side include lollipops, single beverage serving packets and Hershey® bars with personalized labels as examples. On the more indulgent side are chocolate place cards, edible purses, chocolate boxes filled with truffles and designer cookies.

Homemade:

Homemade doesn't necessarily mean you baked it or prepared it yourself - but you certainly could! For example - everyone loves homemade cookies. When giving these as your party favors, bake them in either mini sizes or jumbo size. Then, in your favor bag, put either one jumbo cookie in the bag or a handful of mini cookies. The great news with this favor is that you can bake and freeze the cookies months in advance and take them out when the time comes to fill the favor bags.

Other homemade edibles include flavored popcorn, caramel corn, candies and jam just to name a few. Put a personalized label on the bag or jar, tie it up with pretty ribbon and you have yourself a terrific looking and tasting party favor. Your guests will undoubtedly appreciate the time and effort that went into this favor.

Where to find favor bags for homemade treats? Try craft stores such as Michaels. They usually offer a variety of cello bags or paper bags that are perfect for edibles. They also often sell labels that can be personalized. However, you can also turn to websites for the latter such as Myownlabels.com

The decision is in. Twitter is no longer a fad and not just for kids. Twitter has evolved into one of the most powerful networking and marketing tools we've seen. According to Nielsen Wire's blog, "Twitter increased 1,382 percent year-over-year, from 475,000 unique visitors in February 2008 to 7 million in February 2009, making it the fastest growing site in the Member Communities category for the month."

An interesting statistic also shared in this article is that the largest community is comprised of ages 35 - 49 comprising of nearly 47% of who is on Twitter these days and that of these folks, nearly 65% of them access Twitter from work. Still think it is for kids?

So now you know you shouldn't hold off any longer. Seemingly simple to join and ever more complex to master, Twitter is still a good choice for business. Twitter offers one of the easiest sign up features I have seen and getting a Twitter account will be the least of your challenges. However, from there remains the looming questions of how to make it productive and how not to get overwhelmed with the 7 million people to listen and talk to.

This is relatively new and because it is so hot there are thousands of emerging experts, books already en masse both ebooks and traditional hard cover, websites and blogs that are helpful and abundant and friends of friends who can assist. You can read some of our earlier blogs where we have discussed Twitter and please know that I have found more than 300 third party Twitter applications to help you in your quest to master tweeting. I do intend to share links and observations over the next few weeks so if you haven't yet subscribed to our blog, now might be a good time to consider subscribing. Ok, so let's get on with this.

In one entry I cannot say or share all that is needed so I thought I would start at the beginning and talk strategy, and like any marketing effort, you need a smart strategy.

Twitter is not a traditional marketing channel by any stretch of the imagination and so you cannot take your standard marketing strategy and apply it to Twitter. Twitter is about having sociable conversations and about building relationships based on interests and perceived value. If you think you are going to get on to Twitter and start booking business, get over it as that is not likely to happen. Twitter is a long-term investment in relationship building and brand awareness. So there, your ROI metrics aren't going to work in this model. You won't tweet and get an order. So, let's get this show on the road.

The first question you want to ask is WHO DO I WANT TO FOLLOW ME? Why, because those are the people that are going to listen to what you have to say and constitute your REACH.

The next question you have to ask is WHY WOULD THEY FOLLOW ME?

Last but certainly not least, you need to ask HOW WILL THIS HELP MY BUSINESS?

How to explore the WHO. You will need to have a Twitter account, so if you don't have one, go ahead and sign up. Don't obsess just yet on the details, just get on-board and think of it as a test account. This will give you the ability to research. The following recommendations do not constitute a complete list of applications to try out but it is a helpful starting point.

To begin searching who is on Twitter visit Twello, a robust and powerful yellow page style application to search. You can narrow your searches geographically and by industry.

To check out some of Twitter's inhabitants and you aren't ready to let them know about you, use a TweetStalk a service that allows you to eavesdrop and spend time studying these folks and learn about their interests, their reach and how you might begin to connect with them. The reason for using this service is that if your Twitter profile is not yet ready for its debut you don't want to risk losing the parties you are interested in before you've even started. Once you follow someone, they get a notification and have the option to follow back. Think of it like hosting a cocktail party, you don't want to show up in your underware!

Keep a running list of who you want to follow understanding their role in your new twitterverse. Are they decision makers, influencers, or connectors? You'll want to have a mix of these profiles in your who to follow list.

The other areas you want to explore for who to follow are the people who share interesting or valuable information. Industry, local or world news; entertainment; helpful technology or industry gurus; hobbyist and so on. These folks can be a rich resource to introduce you to new ideas and information and likewise, provide interesting posts that you can share with your followers through retweeting (a lot more on this topic later) adding both to your value and your personality.

I hope that you found this helpful and if you subscribe to this blog you will get more on Twitter. We will cover the strategy development of Why Will They Follow You in our next issue. From there we will explore the tools that will help you remain sane and effective in your Twittering endeavors.

Most want to-be authors hold false beliefs about the publishing business that are either outdated or were purely mythical to begin with. Here's how to avoid making mistakes by believing these myths.

1. Once I write my book the money will start rolling in. I'm sorry to break the news, but the idea that you'll make a fortune on your book is not realistic. I tell my clients to think of their book as a calling card or marketing tool, not as a money-making venture. Only a small percentage of published books actually bring in the bucks, and usually only to big-name writers. Your book is a tool meant to support your core business, or your role as an expert in some area. That's where the money comes from, particularly when you tap into the seven revenue streams that every entrepreneur should memorize. These include coaching, speaking, corporate sponsorship, one-on-one training, educational workshops, and corporate consultation.

2. My book will get me on television. Wrong! Your expertise will get you on television. If you want to get on television, you must first show producers that you have valuable ideas and information for their audience. Your book can get your foot in the door, but it won't seal the deal - in fact, many TV producers want to see a video before they'll even talk to you, to determine if you're personable in front of a camera. TV producers don't exist to promote your book or your needs, and they'll resent any obvious attempts to use them that way.

3. I'll travel the country doing book signings and go on local radio and TV stations. Book signings don't sell that many books: the locals who attend them don't come to shop, but for free entertainment. And any touring you do will be on your own dime - publishers rarely pay expenses. You can sell more books in front of your computer, creating online demand through your own or your friends' blogs, article dashboards, viral video, and social networking on venues like Twitter and Facebook.

4. Respectable, successful books are only sold in bookstores. Believe it or not, a bookstore is actually the worst place to sell your book these days - in fact, I've heard them called "publishing graveyards." In recent years there's been a paradigm shift in the publishing world due to increased volume - over 400,000 books get published each year, far too many for Ye Olde Booke Shoppe to accommodate, so unless you're John Grisham, or your publisher pays for front-store placement, one or two copies of your book will end up shelved in the back, spine out. And for unsold copies, you get stuck paying for refunds and shipping fees.

5. Self-publishing is for losers. Really? Did you mean losers like Mark Twain? Edgar Allan Poe? Deepak Chopra? Wanna-be writers look down on self-publishing, but this snobbery is unwarranted. It might have been true fifty years ago that the best and most popular literary works came out of Random House or Simon & Schuster, but with the advent of new techniques such as desk publishing, print on demand (POD), and e-publishers like iUniverse and Lulu, there's been a revolution in the world of self-publishing. Many best-sellers were originally self-published and later picked up by big houses. A few self-published books: The Celestine Prophecy. The Joy of Cooking. What Color is Your Parachute? Chicken Soup for the Soul. Spartacus. Losers, huh?

6. I can't write. Even if I could, it takes years to write a book. If you can tell a story, you can write. Just get rid of the stereotype in your head of the writer brooding in front of a blank computer screen with a mug of coffee, a supply of No-Doz, and a walloping case of anxiety. As with any skill, the secrets and strategies of writing, and of fast writing, can be mastered by almost anyone. A decent book doesn't have to take more than two months to write. It won't be Hemingway - but who needs more Hemingway? Your goal isn't to create sterling literature, but to convey a message in coherent, articulate English.

7. You can get a big advance from a major publisher by submitting a proposal. Good luck. Approximately 98% of proposals sent to acquisition editors are rejected. In fact, more major publishers like Simon and Schuster are adopting a self-publishing formula to mitigate financial risk. Besides, it can take as much if not more time and energy to write a proposal as the whole book, so why not just write the book? In my opinion, book proposals are a waste of time - spend your time developing a marketing proposal.

8. Like rich cream, an amazing book will always rise to the top. Wrong! Except for literary fiction, publishers aren't looking for amazing as much as they are hot topics and authors who'll work at selling. And most readers don't want amazing as much as information they can use. If your book, for instance, is about a startling new method of knitting, which is currently enjoying a huge resurgence, a publisher is more likely to grab it up than some amazing book on an obscure topic. It's when you create something people want, and figure out how to tap into the market, that your book will have the chance of rising to the top.

9. A good book always finds its audience. Purely magical thinking. Books don't walk around all by themselves looking for an audience, and publishers want books with a built-in audience, like the knitting aficionados referred to above. It's up to you to identify your audience and gear your book in that direction. If you can present your book to a publisher coupled with a target audience, you've gone a long way towards building an effective PR campaign.

10. Find a publisher who does marketing, or hire an expensive PR agent.

Wrong! When it comes to publicity, you are it. The traditional, formulaic marketing processes that are still relied upon in the publishing world are antiquated and mostly ineffective. Sending out a few review copies and hoping they'll lead to an appearance on The Today show is no longer the only - or the best - way to sell books. These days every author, self-published or not, has to take the marketing end of the business into his or her own hands, create a marketing strategy, and network like crazy, primarily online.

11. A book has to be on television to get anywhere. Yes, getting onto Oprah's show is the hottest ticket in books - but that's because of Oprah, not television. When she likes a book, she pushes it, and she has a huge audience of readers who value her opinion. Other than that, though, television's dead as far as book-selling goes. New media is where it's at: you can sell more books on Twitter than if you are on the fourth hour of the Today show. Period.

12. In order to sell, a book has to be really great, and get rave reviews. Again, your book is a tool, a calling card - and selling it isn't about content, but marketing. The marketing of the book is more important than the book itself - so put most of your time, energy, and resources into that.

13. Writing a book is like going through labor; every book is its author's baby. Too many authors promote their books the way a mother shows off her first baby - believing it's just too precious, and expecting everyone else to feel the same. This comes from old romantic literary notions. Well, it's time to throw out the baby and the bath water. No author should be that attached, or have that much ego-involvement, in their book. It is not a baby, yours or anyone else's. Treat your book as what it is: a great tool containing valuable information.

14. The inside of a book should be elegantly designed.

This is for all those people who want to add illustrations, and color, and formatting... All those bells and whistles cost a lot of money. A good book sells; a fancy book just prolongs the manufacturing process, delaying revenue. Spend your money on marketing instead.

15. You can't judge a book by its cover. Maybe not - but you can attract more potential buyers with an eye-catching cover than with one that's boring or aesthetically unappealing. A great cover is worth the investment.

16. I am the only person who can possibly write my book. Maybe you're the only one who has your exact information, but for a reasonable price a good editor or even a ghostwriter can whip that information into shape. I've had great success with ghostwriters who pick your brain, read your ideas, and transform them into clear, concise, readable prose. If writing isn't your forte, consider taking this route. It can be well worth the investment. Just remember - the better the editor or ghostwriter, the higher the fee.

17. A well-written book will become a best-seller. Good writing doesn't create best-sellers; demand does. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that millions of great manuscripts are languishing in personal computers or desk drawers. It's sad but true that many good or even great books never see the light of day, and many genuinely talented writers are employed as everything from bankers to technicians. The publishing world is not a meritocracy. It's only when your book gives people something they want that your book might even begin to approach best-sellerdom.

The author of the book Humberto, the bookworm Hamster is Mayra Calvani. The illustrator and publisher are Kit Grady and Guardian Angel Publishing respectively. It is the magnificent children's book. It expresses two different, significant, and essential messages for the children. Mayra cleverly threads the winning story.

The primary lesson is that, it conveys wonderful adventures for your child. It in fact opens up a new imaginary world before your child. Humberto, the bookworm Hamster can inflame the thoughts. The youngster can be a champion on an enormous white mount with a weapon in hand. He can be space traveler. He can battle with fire dragon. He can travel to anywhere.

The subsequent lesson of humberto, the bookwork hamster is friendship. With the exceptional and excellent story telling, Mayra evidences the importance of friendship. Through this book, mayra emphasizes that friends are a part of life.

In fact, the examples in this book are astonishing and wonderful. It can inspire your child with its brave, fanciful and brilliant characters. They are certain to confine each child's thoughts and attention. Writer Mayra Calvani loves to write for adults and especially for children. She is a usual contributor to Suite 101, and Blog critics Magazine. She is also the active member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Humberto, the Bookworm Hamster provides the children with not only an entertaining story but also gives an inspiring lesson with moral element. It can improve their reading and learning skills and twinkle their imagination power.

People are extremely nervous about the economy and rightly so. The recent spike in oil prices, while short lived, wreaked havoc on the economy. Prices of goods and services have skyrocketed along with new unemployment claims. Naturally, people start to look for around for ways way to protect themselves from economic turmoil, either by getting a second job (good luck with that one) or creating a job for themselves by starting their own business Getting a second job in a down economy can be a daunting task and may be difficult to fit into the day for many people. Basically this is an unattractive choice to make. More and more, the entrepreneurial spirit is taking over and people are starting their own home businesses.

This trend may surprise a great many people who would ask 'Is now a good time to start a business? Isn't that risky?' Yes, starting a business is risky. Doing nothing is risky. Getting a second job can be risky to your health (stress, fatigue). There is a level of risk in everything that we do and we make decisions based on how much and what kind of risk we are willing to take. If someone has a burning desire to become an entrepreneur, then he is willing to accept that level of risk. In fact, the definition of Entrepreneur is one who assumes the risk of business. The benefit for assuming that risk, however, is the potential to make more money than you would otherwise make at a JOB. There is always a risk and reward ratio; the greater the risk, the greater the potential reward. The trick is to lower the risk while maintaining the reward. The internet makes this possible on many levels.

Believe it or not, the internet is still in its infancy. Hard to believe but it is growing at an astonishing rate. The computer has become the one tool for news, information, research, entertainment and business opportunity. Think about it. Where do you go to look for something? Why are you reading this? You are doing research about starting a home business. That's good. You're doing your due diligence. The internet is a hot bed for business opportunity seekers during good economic times. Entrepreneurs are always on the look out for another stream of income and the next BIG THING. That's a constant in this equation. Bad economic times can awaken the entrepreneurial spirit in those who wouldn't even consider it otherwise. So yes, it is a good time to start a home business, but how?

There are several factors that need to be considered when trying to decide what business opportunity will be right for you and they are of equal importance. What is going to have the greatest impact on your home business is how you market...YOURSELF. That's right, how you market yourself is more important than how you market your business. Good opportunities with good products and good pay plans are a dime a dozen and the one you choose will have thousands of affiliates already working the business. So how will you stand out? By developing and marketing your PERSONAL BRAND.

The key to your success will not be in the business opportunity that you choose, but in the MENTOR you choose to teach you how to market yourself. Once you have acquired this skill set you will have created a new career for yourself and will be able to create multiple streams of income for as long as you desire to do so. Choose your mentor wisely for he or she holds the keys to your future.

Hungary is a growing tourist destination for visitors from the rest of Europe and beyond. Here are just 5 of the top places that you should visit during your trip to Hungary

1. The favorite tourist destination in Hungary has to be Budapest; in fact this is now becoming one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe. If you like a bit of pampering then you are going to love the thermal baths that have been used for over two thousand years to ease pains and aches and as a means to relax; there are over 1,300 thermal springs in the city. Budapest has some important historical buildings and the most famous of them all is Buda Castle which is listed as a UNESCO site. The castle is right next to the beautiful river Danube. The City Park is also an area where you will find many of the important buildings in the city of interest to tourists.

2. Lake Balaton is the largest lake in central Europe and is one of Hungary's most popular tourist destinations. It is often referred to as Hungary's sea as it is otherwise landlocked. There is plenty of camping available in the area as well as resorts to cater for all budgets. This can be a place to go to relax for a few days or it can also be somewhere to go party. There are many entertainment venues around the lake, where young people from all over Hungary and the rest of the world, let their hair down. Lake Balaton is a popular destination in the winter as well as the summer. During the winter time people go ice skating on the lake, or go fishing through ice holes.

3. The Danube Bend is attracts tourists as well as Hungarians. It is a stunningly beautiful area along a part of the Danube River where it turns sharply. It is possible to visit here as a daytrip from Budapest, but many visitors like to stay for a day or two. There are parks and some nice towns worth visiting in the area if you have the time.

4. Lake Tisza is an artificially created lake that is surprisingly scenic and natural looking. It offers an attractive peaceful environment and has become the home for a lot of wildlife. There are plenty of guest houses in the area and a wide variety of water sports available. You will also find many beaches scattered around the lake. Bukk Hills are nearby and they provide many forest paths for you to explore.

5. The Northern Great Plain promises to provide a little bit of everything to any visiting tourist. Here you will find quaint rural towns as well as thermal baths and spas. There are also many accommodation choices ranging from guest houses to luxury hotels. The food in the area is believed to be the best in the country with plenty of fresh produce. If you want to see a different side of Hungary then you must certainly visit this part of the country.

A risk factor is a variable whose presence increases your risk for problems. For example, you are at higher risk of disease if several risk factors are present. This article discusses the risk factors for experiencing burnout.

Burnout is a psychological term for a set of characteristics usually centering around stress and exhaustion, especially in one's career. If you are feeling apathetic, mentally fatigued, having difficulty concentrating or difficulty caring, these could be emotional warning signs of burnout. If you find yourself avoiding work, neglecting your responsibilities, being accident prone and disregarding your appearance, you may be experiencing behavioral signs. If you suffer from insomnia, headaches, fatigue or increased worrying about your health, these may be physical signs of burnout.

Paying attention to these warning signs is vital to avoiding burnout. It is possible to have some emotional, behavioral and physical signs present and you may or may not have associated these signs as signs of burnout. Here are five risk factors for burnout. Are these risk factors present in your life?

Your Perception of Stress

In my stress management workshops I have an exercise where I ask participants to list the things that cause them stress and then as a group, we list them on chart paper. Inevitably, there are some people who will say that they are not stressed by some of the things listed. For example, some people find traveling stressful while others do not. Some people find deadlines stressful while others see it as a motivator. Albert Ellis, a prominent psychotherapist in the field of cognitive therapy, discovered that this is due to our perception of stress. He pointed out that our underlying beliefs and self-talk contribute a great deal to our stress and that changing these underlying beliefs and self-talk are key to reducing stress. If you perceive your current situation to be stressful, you will experience more stress than someone in the same situation who perceives it as manageable. No two people in the same situation view the situation in the same way and this is how your perception of stress is a risk factor for burnout.

Stress at Home

It is difficult to have stress at home and act like nothing is wrong when you get to work. Even if you do not share your troubles with your co-workers, chances are you have a shorter fuse than if you had very little stress at home. You may come into work tired, take longer to focus on work, think about how much time is left before you can leave for the day or the weekend. Whatever is going on at home stays in the back of your mind during your time at work and reduces your ability to give 100% of your attention to work. As a result, your performance can suffer over time.

Environmental Stress

Stress can come from the environment you live in as well. We do not often notice environmental stress because we tolerate them for the most part. Environmental stress can come from traffic, weather, neighbors, crime level, noise, the economy, etc. Sometimes environmental stress can be lessened. For example, if you have a long commute to and from work, you can find a way to change your work hours, work from home, change jobs, or move. Most of the time, we just put up with this form of stress and cease to think about it. The problem with this is that any stress, whether you have found a way to tolerate it or not, is using your body's resources to keep you going despite the stress. That means that you have less resources to handle other stress in your life.

Work Stress

All jobs have some level of stress associated with them and some jobs have more stress than others. But chronic stress that is above and beyond what is considered a given in the profession can lead to burnout. If, in addition to the regular stress associated with your job, you are dealing with a boss with poor leadership skills or the negative effects of low morale amongst your co-workers (i.e. complaining, gossiping), this can lead to increased stress and decreased work performance.

Not Practicing Stress Management

This is a major risk factor for burnout. Stress is everywhere and you can only tolerate so much before succumbing to the effects of burnout. Practicing stress management on a regular basis is vital to counteracting the effects of stress. Stress uses up your body's resources, including your physical, mental and emotional stamina. Just like a car needs gas to keep going, your body needs replenishment to keep going. That replenishment is stress management. You would not expect your body to continue to function at peak performance if you did not eat every day. Yet many people expect their minds, bodies and emotions to function at peak performance without stress management. Eventually your tank hits empty and the road to full can be a long one. Regular stress management practice can avoid this and keep you functioning at peak performance on a regular basis.

What is your risk factor for burnout? Rate your perception of stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. Rate your stress at home on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. Rate your environmental stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. Rate your work stress on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is very little stress and 5 is more stress than you can handle. How often do you practice stress management? Rate yourself from 1 to 5 where 1 is every day and 5 is not very often.

If you scored below 10, your risk of burnout is low. Congratulations.

If you scored 10-15, you are at risk of burnout. As I mention in my book, The Art of Loving Life, one of the 3 steps to controlling stress is to remove what is causing you stress or reduce your stress with one of the clinically proven, time-tested techniques described.

If you scored above 15, you probably do not need me to tell you that you are burned out. Take immediate steps to deal with your stress. A competent therapist or coach who is skilled at stress management can help you.

OK, let's get down to business here. I've told you why Niche Blogging, now it's time to start on the HOW of Niche Blogging.

By now you've probably got all kinds of blog ideas running through your mind. And that's good!

Every idea is a good idea. Don't let anyone tell you any differently. Even if there are already thousands of blogs out there on "Staying Sane While Your Kid Learns To Play The Tuba", if your blog is well written, full of lots of good information and you market it right, it could be the one at the top of the list when someone Googles "Tuba Trouble"!

Here are some things to consider when choosing your topic for your niche blog:

* Is it a topic you're interested in?

o Something to think about - while your blog may start producing a small amount of income in a month or so, most successful blogs take a year or two to start producing regularly. Is this a topic that you could write a lot about, for a long time?

* Is the topic popular?

o While you may be interested in Tuba Playing Children, how many others out there are? If no one is interested in the topic you choose, you won't get a lot of visitors. No visitors = No sales. Think about the topics that you search for on the web. Or look at the TV news or the newspapers to see what people are discussing right now.

* Is there a lot of competition?

o If you think you've found a hot topic or niche, then chances are someone else has had the exact same idea. If there's too much competition, you may never be seen. If you have the time and energy to devote to making your blog stand out from the crowd, then go for it.

o And don't let someone talk you out of this one, girls! If you want to do a blog about knitting, then do it! There are ways to successfully market your blog and shoot it to the top. And even though there may be thousands of blogs on knitting, there are BILLIONS of people in the world looking for knitting advice. You only need SOME of them to find you. And if it's something you feel passionate about, then knitting it is!

* Can you provide something that your competition is NOT?

o Look at some of those other knitting blogs out there and see what they're missing. YOU knit. So you know what to look for. Maybe they don't show enough pictures of stitches. Maybe their patterns are always missing a step. Maybe they're just plain boring and you think you could make yours a lot more attractive or entertaining.

o Do you create your own patterns? You could offer them to your visitors. Do you have a sense of humor? You could include daily "Purls of Wisdom".

* Can you make money with this topic?

o Look at those other knitting blogs. Do they have ads on them anywhere? Is there a related product that you could sell? Maybe you could sell those patterns you've created.

o We'll get into this later because it's a whole category by itself, but there are Affiliate programs out there that want you to place ads on your blog. Some of them sell eBooks on knitting! (I haven't looked to see if there are any eBooks on Teaching Your Child To Play The Tuba.)

To help you narrow your final choice down even further, think about what types of sites you go looking for. What are you usually searching for on the web? Is there one particular topic that you get excited about, that you just can't stop talking about? Is there one topic that your family and friends come to you for advice about?

In my next post, I'll give you a couple of tools to help you make that final decision.

Getting your company or personal website to rank on the three major search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN) is the quickest and most effective way to boost your sales and grow your business. Many search engine optimization (SEO) companies charge an arm-and-a-leg for ranking services, when you can do much of the work yourself for a fraction of the cost.

Marketing your business online is easier, and more importantly cheaper, than you probably realize. By using free web marketing tools and capitalizing on free social mediums you can easily drive traffic to your website and interact with your customers for no cost and very little time. Online social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube require nothing more than a valid email account and password, and give your business free access to millions of potential customers. Social bookmarking sites such as Digg and StumbleUpon are a couple more free resources that will spread your product or message like wildfire.

Social media, also known as Web 2.0, is no longer for the kids. Don't be fooled by the flashy profiles and young founders; networking online has become the driving force behind many marketing campaigns. Social marketing is still a new strategy for many major companies, but with literally hundreds-of-millions of users from all demographics, these free platforms provide great potential. According to a recent article on Forbes.com, social media outlets allow CEO's and companies to interact with their customers daily in a highly productive way. Starbucks, for example, uses Twitter to get direct feedback from customers and update them on new products.

The majority of Web 2.0 users are between the ages of 18-34, and while MySpace still attracts the younger crowd, Facebook, Squidoo, and even LinkedIn are great for reaching the buying public in an innovative way. The best part about these free networks is that they come with built-in blog, photo, and email applications. These are the tools that make conveying your message and redirecting traffic to your site easier then ever.

There are two simple things to remember when setting up a social networking account: use keywords in your profile name, and use a catchy profile picture. Your profile picture is the first thing that customers will see when browsing the internet or considering your online 'friendship.' Your profile picture can be your logo, but in some cases it is preferable to set up an account as the company CEO, rather than as the business itself. If you are a photographer, for example, it is well worth your time to set up a Flickr profile with examples of your best work. By setting up a free account as an individual, you can blog about your work on upcoming projects, post pictures of your business convention, and interact on a more personal level. While statistics show that a certain amount of trust is already given to a social network 'friend,' that trust only enhances when the interaction is with an individual instead of a business.

Setting up a social profile, whether it be on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter involves finding the "Sign Up" tab (or "Join" tab) usually located on the right-hand-side near the "Sign In" tab. You will be prompted to enter your email address and new password. I would suggest using your company email or setting up a free Gmail account using your business name.

When creating a profile on YouTube and Twitter, you will be instantly asked for a username. You basically have two options here: use your company name or use an optimized keyword name. Use free online tools such as Wordtracker and Google Keywords to research what names will attract more traffic. If your business name is already optimized, then you have the best of both worlds. Keep in mind that this will be how a customer finds you on these social platforms. When a user searches for new 'friends,' they will enter a keyword to find profiles. For example, if a MySpace user is searching for an Arizona Cardinal's fan, they will type in the keyword Arizona Cardinals. If you happen to have a business selling Cardinal's apparel, using this keyword is highly productive for you.

Use the free online tool CheckUserNames.com to simultaneously check multiple social networks for user name availability. From this site you can test your keyword optimized profile name, and sign up for many accounts quickly and easily.

When it's time to fill in your personal information, don't be too professional. Have some fun with it while conveying your company's message. In order to update your personal information on MySpace, you'll have to go to "Edit Profile" under the "Profile" tab near the top of your screen. From this page you will be able to change the look of your profile and add to your "About Me" section.

After creating your account, you will have to check your email to authenticate your profile. This is why you must use a valid email address. Follow the setup steps as prompted, and within a matter of minutes you have created your first social marketing site. Of course, it's definitely not advised that you simply come out and post your product all over the network. That is a great way to get blocked and rejected by every user on every platform. MySpace comes equipped with a "Spam" tab to use when you send an unwanted or commercial email. If too many of your recipients mark your email as "Spam," you run the great risk of being banned from MySpace.

Once your profiles are created and customized, it's time to get down to work. Remember, you can have an account in every social network and can optimize each one to drive traffic back to your site. The more free profiles that you have, the more opportunity you give yourself to organically rank higher on search engine report pages (SERPS). By organically, I simply mean to rank on the top three search engines without paying for it through Pay-Per-Click strategies or paid advertising.

Each Web 2.0 platform thrives under different strategies. MySpace is a great platform for "shock-and-awe." Search engine guru's still typically stay away from this free medium. However, if you're targeting a younger crowd, have a band or gaming product, this is the perfect free resource. Tools such as Pyzam will help you build your site with flair. To market your profile, use some of your email marketing skills to reach "friends." Use a lot of art, photos and videos to convey your message. MySpace is an extremely visual medium, and you can use this to your advantage. Use banners that redirect traffic to your site. Embed links in every picture, video, and piece of artwork on your profile that will lead traffic back to your website.

In order to find your market customer, follow the "Friends" tab to "Find Friends," where you can search by age, gender, location, and even interests. Find your customer and let them know who you are without sounding like a used car salesman. Build your profile with multiple links back to your website.

Advertising on MySpace is just as easy as setting up a profile, and, though it may take a little cash, it will drive traffic to your site. Facebook advertising is built to allow you complete control of who is seeing your ad. You create it, select exactly who will see it, how much money you are willing to spend, and an advertising timeframe. Be smart about how you word your ad, what photos or logo you use, and the money you are willing to spend. Check your numbers frequently, keeping in mind that weekends will show different results than weekdays.

After you have secured "friends" on these social networks, it couldn't be easier to tell them anything and everything you want. For example, let's say you have a new product coming out, or a discounted special. By simply posting a bulletin on MySpace, writing a blog, or posting a note on Facebook, you can reach all of your customers at once. Every time you update your website in any way, you should let your customers know. This is a great way to keep things interactive and personal between you and your Web 2.0 "friends." By attaching or embedding a link back to your website, and a few bookmarking options, you are taking your social marketing to the next level.

Social mediums such as MySpace and Facebook have an amazing way of spreading photos, videos, gossip, and most of all, questioners and personality tests. By using a simple SEO strategy known as link baiting, you can drive traffic to your site. Create a simple questioner about almost anything from a users favorite things to what they had for lunch, and send it to your friends or post it on your profile. Entice your "friends" to fill out the questioner and send it to their friends, and the cycle will continue throughout the network. It may seem like a small process, but creating a small quiz or questioner will end up reaching for more people than you might imagine.

Twitter is a social network that you truly must be a part of. It's unique in the way that it allows you to consistently update your status without being too obnoxious. The whole purpose of Twitter is to literally let your "friends" know what you're doing in every second of every day. Use Twitter to inform customers of upcoming events, specials, and newly posted articles and blogs. Let customers know how you're feeling about popular news, or a company event. Don't be too professional, but send relaxed and informational messages to your "friends" on a constant basis. Embed links back to your site, or to a recent blog that you posted.

YouTube is another free social venue that is quickly becoming the SEO guru's dream, and while it may take a bit more technical knowledge, it can be your greatest free marketing tool. Filming a short video, or throwing together a quick slideshow with music, and adding a link directing people to your site, is all the work you need to do. It rarely even matters what the video is about, as long as it's entertaining and under about three minutes. You can simply use your Windows MovieMaker to edit the video, add music, a title and credits. Be sure to include a reference to your website.

How-To videos are, and will continue to be, in demand and creating one that is short and informational will do wonders for your website. Do a little research on Google Trends or Yahoo Buzz to find out what the hot topics are, and talk about them. If you're a gamble, make a controversial video (or blog). If you can get people interested and talking, you will definitely get them to your site. This will also persuade people to bookmark your video (or blog) to share the controversy with others.

The key to YouTube marketing is filling your video description with keywords and links to your website. The only way that your video will be found is through the description that you give it. Be specific to either what your video is about, or what your business is about, without sounding too much like that used car salesman. Make your description as long as you need to, as long as the link to your website is within the first few lines. These will be the first words that a viewer will see in your description. By using optimized keywords, when users search for YouTube videos via Google or YouTube itself, your video will be at the top of the list. Don't be afraid to comment on your own video, or have a friend or employee comment to get the ball rolling.

Post the videos you make on other video sharing sites such as MySpace and Meta Tube, and before you know it your video will rank on Google alongside your Facebook page and company website. If you have built your social profiles and video descriptions with smart links to redirect traffic, you should notice your numbers going up.

Another free Web 2.0 marketing tool is social bookmarking. Creating a profile on sites such as Digg and StumbleUpon is similar to creating your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Bookmarking sites are used to spread the word about interesting blogs, articles, and websites. For example, on Digg a user will post a story that he found interesting about Obama's stimulus package. He will "shout" it out to all of his friends, where they'll "Digg" the article and pass it to their friends. The more Digg users that see this link, the more readers this Obama article gets. The New York Times uses Digg as its number three resource to drive traffic back to its website. If you can harness the power of social bookmarking sites like Digg, you will drastically improve your traffic. This is why it is crucial that anytime you post a blog on Myspace, a video on YouTube, or an article on your personal or company website, you must add some bookmarking options for your readers.

Adding bookmarking options to your blogs involves one simple step. It's an embed code that you will place directly into your work. Check out AddThis.com to get the code and customize your bookmarking options. SocialMarker.com is another great free resource for creating accounts on many different bookmarking platforms and easily accessing those accounts. This is a platform that will actually take you from site to site, allowing you to open an account or add your blog one by one.

An SEO strategy that has been implemented by many marketing companies is to combine RSS feeds with social bookmarking. (An RSS feed is a way of syndicating your content throughout the internet to anyone who is subscribed to receive it). Your employees should all be subscribing to your RSS feeds already. Anytime you post a new blog or article, they should be automatically notified. Their step is to choose one of the many free bookmarking sites, post your blog on that site, and thus spread the word to their Web 2.0 "friends." If each of your employees bookmarks your blog, it will appear to the search engines that you must have something relevant and important to say. Your next step is to bookmark your bookmarking profile. This will only add more relevance to your blogs and articles.

Something to consider when doing social marketing is your online reputation, and the reputation of other users. By using the free online tool Trackur.com, you can monitor yourself as well as others across many social mediums. While this product is not entirely free, it can come in handy when you need to know the atmosphere of your online network. Tweetbeep.com is a great free resource that allows you to track who is talking about you on Twitter, what they are saying, and how often they are saying it. Lastly, by using Google Alerts and setting it up manage your online reputation as well as monitoring your competitors reputation, you can stay completely informed at all times. These are great tools for staying on top of what is new in your industry, what people in your industry are talking about, what they are saying about you, and how well your social marketing strategy is going.

Social marketing is free, easy, and incredibly useful if you know how to take advantage of it. While it's still a new medium, and SEO guru's are still learning how to capitalize on it, by using these simple steps you can drive traffic to where you want it absolutely free. Take some time to do your research on keywords and effective social strategies by simply Googling social network marketing. Use the sites like MySpace, Facebook, Squidoo, and LinkedIn to get your product known. Make the most of social bookmarking sites, exploit the opportunities your own employees can offer you through their online profiles and bookmarking pages. By converging many different aspects of social media, and implementing social strategies, you will no doubt watch your sales go up. It may take a little longer to see your website rank higher on Google or Yahoo, but in time this completely free online SEO technique will work towards your advantage.

Article writers have recently discovered the earning potential of producing and selling digital books. Some webmasters have started offering eBooks either for free or for sale in addition to Internet marketing initiatives they have been applying to promote their business. You can choose to create digital books yourself or hire writers to do it for you.

The key to successful eBook publishing is to writing about topics people want to read about. You must have the analytical thinking skills as well to predict which topics are likely to be hot with each season. How do you know which topics would interest your target readers?

Tip #1

Run the Google keywords research tool to find out which topics are most popular within a given time. Other websites such as Technorati and Twitter display trending information as to the most discussed topics within the blogging and micro-blogging community. This should give you an idea on what to write about.

Tip #2

Of course, you can search for eBooks to know about which ones are most in-demand today. Visit websites that specialize on eBook publishing and selling. You are likely to see which of their products have the highest demand. Produce eBooks that are patterned after the best-selling ones.

Tip #3

Be updated in the latest entertainment and world news. If something interesting comes up, write an eBook about the event or about a topic related to the event right away and your product is sure to be a bestseller. Advertise your eBook on your website to invite more traffic. Make sure your eBooks are informative, well-written, and thoroughly researched.

No one of us wants to be a victim of bullying. But sadly, there are some people who experienced firsthand bullying from classmates, friends, siblings and sometimes even other family members can be a culprit of bullying.

Generally, there are several reasons for bullying, but studies show that weight bullying is very common especially in obese children and overweight adults.

Detecting Weight Bullying You may say that you are experiencing weight bullying if:

- You are made fun because of your weight - You are called "fat names" - You received comments on your appearance - You are the center of malicious gossips based on your weight habits - You are not welcome to any school or social activities - You are ignored - You are always humiliated - You are physically assaulted - Personal things and foods are damaged or stolen

If you or your child experience this, you are likely be a victim of bullying. However, remember, that you are not alone and that you do not deserve any of these bullying.

You have to bear in mind that your weight is not the measurement of respect. You have to be respected whether you are fat or not.

Is Weight Bullying Wrong? Yes, weight bullying is very wrong. It is as wrong as racial discrimination or other discriminatory acts due to gender and religion.

You may hear that teasing may happen occasionally among friends but it does not mean that it has to be done over and over most especially if it already affects the self-respect of a person.

What to Do? Adults can handle the bullying more effectively. But what children may find it hard to deal with bullying.

Here are some tips that will help you deal with bullying:

- Be confident of yourself. Remember that bullies often pick on those people who are not sure of themselves. For you to appear self-confident, make sure that you teach your child to walk head high and stand tall.

- Don't go in places where you can be alone. Do not give the bullies the chance to be with you alone. Bullies will take the opportunity to harass you when you are alone, so, try your best to be with your friends.

- Encourage your child to talk to you or your teacher if there is someone who bullies him or her. Telling the problem to an adult is not a sign of weakness. Bullying is a serious situation that the child's family or teachers should intervene to avoid serious problems later on.

One of the "hot" strategies in Internet Marketing lately is to use Membership Sites. So what is a membership site? A membership site are basically any kind of website where someone must "join" the site in order to benefit from the information, products or or services offered by that site. Such sites typically require members to pay a fee - often monthly - that can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. To you, as a membership site owner, such fees provide regular, ongoing income. This can be invaluable in terms of ensuring continued cash flow for your business.

A membership site can be relatively quick and easy to set up and the cost minimal. Basically, your main challenges will be to continue attracting new members, whilst keeping your existing members happy (and paying!). The good news is that people are willing to pay for useful information and/or services. The "pay for content" business model has been successfully used by large and small companies alike, and is particularly effective in such niches as entertainment, business content and dating.

There are, of course, a few things you need to do and know before starting a membership site! The first thing to do is to pinpoint the right market. In general, you want to find out what field or type of content people are passionate about. And, importantly, what they are willing to pay for. You'll get clues by looking at what other membership sites are doing, and what niches they operate in.

One thing to keep in mind is that you want to be involved in a niche where you will realistically be able to generate enough members to make the site worthwhile. There's no point putting a lot of time, effort and money into a membership site that is only likely to appeal to a handful of people (unless each of those people is willing to pay a lot of money in membership fees!) Also, it's crucial to make your membership site unique. At a minimum, potential members should not be able to find the content you offer anywhere else for free.

When it comes to attracting members to your website, all the usual Internet marketing methods apply, including search engine marketing, online newsletters, viral marketing and affiliate programs.

Finally, it cannot be emphasized enough that the success of your membership site ultimately rests on the value delivered to your members. You need to be able to deliver the information or services expected by your members each and every month if you are to keep them as members. Also, be aware of what it takes to set up and manage one of these sites. Automated sign-ups, automated cancellations and even credit card processing are all essentials when it comes to starting and maintaining a membership site.

No question, membership sites can be a great way to make money online. If you can continue attracting new members, whilst providing the content - information and/or services - expected by your existing members, you are likely to generate good money each and every month.

So You're Fed Up Of Having To Keep Up With Your Annoying Boss? Here's How To Quit Your Job With A Bang!

I used to be a huge fan of this certain TV show called Seinfeld and there was this particular scene in which George Costanza (one of the main characters on the show) has decided to quit his job at a real estate agency. George storms inside his boss' office screaming:

"You are a laughing stock! You are a joke! You're nothing! You have no brains, no ability, nothing! I quit!"

Then, before his boss could even react, George marches out of the office, slammed the door behind him to close the deal.

This scene always manages to force a giggle out of me. Lets be honest, we have all wanted to do something similar about telling an employer to "take this job and shove it up your ***!". Now that is a noteworthy example of how to quit your job with a bang! But of course, if you'd prefer to do it in a more professional manner, follow the 4 points below.

... But first thing's first, before you decide to walk away from your job, be sure that you can live with that decision, and that you won't end up regretting it later. Terminating your employment is definitely not a decision to be taken lightly or impulsively. Quitting should always be your last resort unless of course, you've decided to graduate from the rat race.

1. Don't be spreading the news just yet!

Planning your exit is not specifically an easy task as you'll have to deliver the bad news to your higher-ups personally. But before you go blabbing to every one of your soon to be "ex-coworkers" about how you're moving onto bigger and better things in life, always make sure to notify the management of your decision first, you wouldn't want them to catch word of it from elsewhere as nothing would be worse than for your boss to learn that you were quitting through the gossip spurring around the office.

2. Try your best to avoid conflict

Your boss is probably going to know why you decide to bail so always make sure that you rehearse what you want to say beforehand, so that you're not caught off-guard. Simply be honest - but not too honest as you are not required to disclose any more than you need to. Quitting a job is a lot like ending a relationship: you will want to spare the ego of the other party as much as possible.

3. Be prepared for a counter-offer

Some managers will attempt to convince you to stay as to avoid the hassle of retraining a new employee. Your boss might dangle the carrots of a pay raise or a promotion to try and keep you around. Even if you're tempted by the counter-offer, don't just accept it on the spot. Tell your boss that you'll consider it, and then take some time to think it over. On the other hand, if you have already made up your mind to leave or simply not interested in staying any longer, remain firm in your decision and politely decline their proposal.

4. How To Quit Your Job Gracefully

Resigning from your job the right way equals class and grace which will not only help your employer and colleagues cope with, and prepare for, your absence. It will also ensure that you preserve and establish important networking opportunities, contacts, and relationships, from which you WILL benefit professionally in the future without a doubt. Leave the same way you came into the job, that is with your head held up high.

1. No Written Plan People who have taken the time to think about what they want to achieve in life, how they want to earn their income what kind of relationships they want and writing it all down usually find they get more of the things they want than those that don't.

2. Procrastination There is no better time then now. No one knows what is in store for them tomorrow, next week or next year. Getting your life, your finances in order is necessary as soon as you start working it's never too soon. It's also never too late, NOW, is the key.

3. Believing the Media If you are investing you would be wise to study textbooks, training programs or seek advice from trained consultants and not listen to what you read or hear in the media. The media still draws strongly on entertaining their audience, do not rely on news for financial advice.

4. Accepting Advice from Amateurs Many people do make investment decisions based on a 'hot tip', thinking they are going to get rich quick. There are no shortcuts, research and study is required, get sound financial advice.

5. Overconfidence It is easy to get into trouble when you start feeling you know what you're doing. It generally means you start taking unnecessary risks, wander off your plan and then get burned. You made a plan follow it until you can afford to lose what you are investing.

6. Failing to Take Small Steps That Can Make a Big Difference Any goal you set needs a little attention everyday whether it's personal or financial. Go over your goals daily, are you on track do something everyday to keep you moving in the right direction.

7. Letting Emotions Drive Your Decisions Fear and greed are the big emotions that drive the markets. There will always be something to fear, the thing is what some people fear others welcome. Greed can also cause you to make decisions that take little regard for your plan and what you know.

Anything you want to be good at and achieve success in requires a plan, training and education, goal setting and regular attention. If you take the steps involved in achieving financial success seriously you will get there, if it's possible for one it's possible for all.

Kids are eagerly awaiting their Christmas vacations and have already started planning what to do. Some may go on vacation trips with their parents, some may enjoy playing with friends, and some may sit idle at home. Parents must consider their children's need for playing on priority and buy quality kids toys to entertain them during vacations. No doubt the toys market is one of the most sought after market in today's world where every parent is keen to give their child the best.

Especially for the upcoming Christmas, many toy shops have opened new lease of toys and have displayed them in online galleries. These toys make great choices for the kids while at home and outside too. There is large variety of toys available online so that you need not venture out and search for the best and cheap toys. Most importantly, you can get free shipping on some of the most popular toys and also can pa online without any transaction hassles. As the affordability is prime concern for most shop owners due to hefty competition, you grab a great deal no doubt!

But before you go and buy any toy online, you should make sure what the aptitude of your kids is and what they would love to play with. You obviously do not want them to keep the toys in the corner and not like them after they are shipped to you. Therefore, please consider following things before buying children's toys online:

1) Talk to your kids. Even children of three or four years today understand their needs and desires. They can direct your thoughts to particular type of games or toys that you can search in online galleries. Most reputed sites give huge varieties and you may be spoilt for choice.

2) Also make them understand the importance of playing particular games that they may not know about. Kids are fast graspers of knowledge and they will certainly agree if you convince them how particular toys are useful for them.

3) Also make sure to show them the pictures in online galleries so that they get to know what they are buying. For little older kids, you can share your experiences and make them comprehend the critical part of the toys that they want to play with.

4) Also talk to them about the importance of outdoor as well as indoor games and finalize the choice after careful assessment.

It is important however to choose the right online shop that gives you good variety at affordable rates. Do not fall for hefty claims and make your own judgment. Always try to review the various sites those display the kids' toys and then buy them so that the children's toys don't cost you a fortune!

The festive season is fast approaching. Why not grab the opportunity of huge discounts given on kids; toy shops online and purchase as many toys as possible now? Your kids are special and playing with toys is their birthright. Only thing is make right choice and let your kids learn while playing!

Bullying and harassment in the workplace take many forms. Sometimes, unfortunately, the label is given to behavior which is simply personality differences. That is why it is sometimes so difficult to identify.

Consequently, and in order to provide clear guidelines for all employees and supervisors, it is critical to have written definitions regarding inappropriate behavior and in order to eliminate misunderstandings and misinterpretations as much as possible.

All of us want to be able to go to work and do our job. We want and expect to be employed by an employer, who provides a workplace that is safe, which actively promotes dignity between employees and which encourages them to treat each other with respect.

Have I lost you? Does this sound like a foreign land? A place that exists on a completely alien set of workplace rules to your experience? I hope not... because there is more...

Other aspects of our working surroundings which we expect include an open, transparent and fair environment and which enthusiastically encourages all employees to act responsibly and be valued for their skills and abilities.

All this describes the 'ideal workplace': the sort of place you perhaps see in glossy magazines and read about in fictional works. It rarely represents the reality of day to day life for the average Joe.

Too many times, gossiping, inappropriate innuendos, physical gestures, exclusionary and isolating behaviour, poorly considered 'jokes', belittling and patronising comments, all play out in workplaces where the organizational culture either condones it or turns a willful blind eye. Each version and variation of this conduct sets up an environment where communication breaks down and relationships become strained. This will make the experience of being at work very challenging for some employees. It seems that we just can't seem to get along with each other!

Organizations everywhere have a legal and ethical obligation and responsibility to ensure that all employees are not subjected to or experience inappropriate and / or unwelcome behavior.

At a minimum, these steps should include:

1. Developing Policies and Procedures: these should reflect applicable national and provincial/state legislation and standards as well as being clearly defined and articulated by the company. They should also be the product of a consultative dialogue with any union or professional organisations which are represented within the workplace.

2. Strategic Communication: this should occur within and throughout the organization regarding the adoption of the policy and be accompanied by leadership examples of commitment and support for professional conduct at all levels.

3. Awareness Training: positive and engaging workshops delivered to ensure that all members of the workforce know their responsibilities within the policies and procedures. Additional training should be provided to all supervisors enabling them to deal with any situations that they become aware of or that are brought to their attention.

4. Available Help: the creation of an internal group of specifically trained and empathetic employees. They should represent a cross section of areas within the organization and be presented as trusted advisers whom employees can go to for advice should they believe that they have been the victim of bullying or harassing behavior in order to discuss the situation should they wish. Professional counseling should also be available.

Admittedly, this article just scratches the surface of a massive issue that exists in many workplaces. However, follow these simple steps, and the journey has begun.

If you want to irritate your colleagues, follow the instructions below. If you would like to build warm and friendly relationships with them, do the opposite.

1. Irritate them with Loud Talking on Your Cell Phone.People around are not interested in what you are saying on the phone. Moreover, someone's phone ringing endlessly is very irritating. Never turn off your phone, talk a lot everywhere around the office, including the bathroom.

2. Forget How Colleagues Helped YouHaving handled a difficult task or project never say that your colleagues assisted you. Be the winner, you don't have to share your boss's good favor with others.

3. No Sick LeavesIf you've caught a cold, come to the office. Get on everybody's nerves coughing and sneezing. Infect other people! They deserve it.

4. Have No SecretsAlthough people usually sort out what they can tell about themselves and what they better not, don't care about it. Be ultimately open, mention intimate details of your private life, make them confused and shy, make them feel very uncomfortable around you.

5. Discuss Religious and Political ViewsNot only you can raise up questions that are not usually discussed at work (for example, your personal life), but you can hurt your colleagues by making unpleasant notes about their political and religious views. Being a deeply intimate and personal choice, views on politics vary from one person to another. Moreover, there can not be any universal opinion that would be shared by everybody. However, try to persuade your colleagues that only your own views are correct. Be intolerable.

6. Be NastyMake nasty jokes about whatever you want. People do like jokes, don't they? Don't hesitate, make unlimited fun of people. Don't worry if someone decides to accuse you of sexual harassment or whatever, they simply have no sense of humor.

8. Chew a Gum EndlesslyNever appear in the office without a pack of chewing gum. People around should not enjoy the silence, but the fantastic cracking sound of a chewing gum.

9. Don't Work Too MuchWhy should you overwork if there are always people who can do your job? You can spend time enjoying yourself - talking on the phone, gossiping and laughing at your own dirty jokes.

10. Be ArrogantLet people around you know who you are and where you stand. Feel free to talk down to them, then they will respect you.

With the stiff competition in the online arena, internet marketers like you must be very creative and very aggressive in driving traffic to your website. One of the best ways to do this is by building your own blog where you can update your client base and where you can build an ongoing communication with these people. One of the things that you need to do in order to make your blog successful is to fill it up with great content. You need to write articles that will make your visitors want to stay longer.

Here's how you can improve blog articles:

1. Choose hot topics. When choosing the topics for blog articles, it's highly recommended that you go with those ones that are relatively new or those that just got out of the oven. Blogs, after all, are supposed to carry information that are current. It will help if you start your day checking out relevant news or RSS feeds.

2. Use conversational tone. You don't need to sound very stiff when writing your articles as this will surely alienate your readers. Relax. Write as if you're just having conversation with someone you know very well. Communicate your ideas in such as way that you'll be able to entertain and educate your readers all at the same time.

3. Use images. Make your blog articles more interesting to read by incorporating pictures and other visuals that are related to the topics that you're discussing. Make sure though that they're not too large that they'll affect your downloading time.

The Christmas season is inching up day by day. And birthdays, anniversaries, get-well wishes and a myriad of other gifts giving occasions surround us as well. What shopping strategy can get the mission accomplished in the most effective and efficient way?

Delivered gift baskets packed with specialized foods and items may be the answer. Yes, these focus on a particular hobby, pastime, theme, or appetite can be your ticket to putting a big, huge smile on someone's face... and with the least amount of time-consuming effort on your part at the same time.

Let's first look at the various gifts giving themes that are available with this option. Christmas is the big event coming up that needs our gift shopping attention sooner than later. And what can be more appropriate to send to a any friend, relative, client, pastor, or respected other... than a Christmas themed basket of joy?

There are many delivered gift baskets that would cater to this occasion with a strong dash of heart-warming good wishes on your part. Many of these are packed with holiday decorations, gifts and scrumptious taste treats that will be remembered long after this beloved holiday is past.

Or how about the other life occasions that need a message of congrats, welcome, get well, or even condolences? Yes, Gift Baskets can meet those needs just as easily. That's because they can specialize in precisely what can satisfy the unique personality or situation of the recipient. Like what?

How about saying congrats for a new baby? You're covered on this with a wide variety of Baby Gift Baskets. There is also a selection of "Thank You" delivered baskets for the times you wish to give gratitude. And let's not forget Get Well Baskets for those that need a healthy dose of good wishes in their time of weakness.

But is there a need for a deeper theme that can excite the recipient in no uncertain terms? You know... that one special thing that gets the juices flowing within the heart and mind of the benefactor of your generosity. Themes such as...

So the odds are heavily in your favor that at least one of these delivered gift baskets can hit you a home run in gifts giving, right? But what's the most time-efficient way to have them shopped for and sent to anyone within the continental USA?

By going the online route! Yes, a worthy Gift Basket website can point you towards the type of presents that will satisfy just about anyone. And they can have the chosen gift dropped off to any doorstep of your choice. And this can all be put into motion just sitting in front of your computer. How's that for speedy convenience?

Seriously consider going online to send Gift Baskets for whatever occasion comes your way. It's a great way to finish your to-do list before enjoying some well-deserved free time to relax!

Often called the cultural capital of the nation, Kolkata offers a rich tapestry of art and culture for visitors to explore and enjoy. Known for their welcoming nature, Kolkattans are easy going by nature and can make any outsider feel at home immediately. No wonder that many foreigners who come to the city either for work or leisure end up setting their homes here.

Adda (which is often mistaken for gossip, but is quite different from it) is yet another feature ingrained in most Kolkattans, and you will find people debating various topics with enthusiasm at tea stalls, coffee shops etc. In fact, Coffee House located on College Street was once famous as the seat of intellectuals, where students and stalwarts discussed and debated on almost everything under the sun. Though it has lost much of its sheen today, it still attracts a sizable community of adda enthusiasts who can spent hours discussing the present state of affairs in the country as well as the world scenario over a few cups of tea or coffee.

Kolkattans, especially the Bengalis, are often mocked for their love of bhaat-maach (rice and fish curry). It's often said that the way to a Bengali's heart is through his stomach. Quite naturally, food features high on the list of this city. Be it the pice hotels in different localities where pocket-friendly Bengali cuisine is served, the trendy Domino's and Mac's where burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas are the order of the day, or the roadside stalls where rolls, singharas, alur chops (potato fritters) and peyaji's ((onion fritters) fly off the shelves fast, you will find them all in this city. In fact, food in Kolkata is an amalgamation of foreign and local choices, and it's not an uphill task to find anything from Tibetan and Italian to Spanish, Mediterranean, Japanese, or any other world cuisine here.

Festivals and fairs are a staple diet of Kolkata and it's often said that people here have baro maashey tero parbon (13 festivals in 12 years)! Durga Puja is the biggest festival that's unmatched in grandeur, but the city celebrates other festivals too like Holi, Id, Christmas etc with zeal and fervour. Fairs, especially during the winter season, are another trademark of the city, and you can find garments, handmade crafts, homemade pickles, jams, and much more in these fairs. A prominent fair in Kolkata is the Book Fair, which is usually held for two weeks starting from the last week of January.

In today's age of cinemas and multiplexes, theatres and jatras are yet another significant aspect of Kolkata's cultural heritage. Drawing inspiration from recent incidents or works of literary geniuses, these stage shows still boast of a steady patronage in the city.

To experience all these and more, you must visit Kolkata - the City of Joy.

This article attempts to help you with your to do list so that planning for your party becomes easier. There are few things that you must not forget about come what may. Go down to the do list systematically so that you don t miss out on anything. Here are some tips to help you throw a fabulous Birthday Party. Tips:

o Make a list of all the things that need to be taken care of before hand so that you don t miss out any details.

o If you are not having the parties at home then find out a couple of places that can be rented out for birthday parties. Make sure the place is child friendly and has all the necessary equipment and facilities like bathrooms, kitchens, play area, heating, air conditioning, etc.

o Book the place and pay the deposit amount so that the place is booked under your name and won t be booked by anyone else.

o Decide the theme for the party. You could do a Disney princess theme, tinker bell theme, etc for girls or pirates, cars the movie, superheroes, etc for the boys.

o Order the cake as per the theme that you have decided so that there is common thought throughout the party.

o Get birthday party decoration which can again be planned around the party theme. You will require: balloons, hats and masks, streamers, candles, confetti, centerpieces, etc.

o Get Birthday party supplies like cups, mugs, plates both big and small, cutlery, napkins both big and small, servers, etc.

o Decide upon the invite of the party as it takes time to print or write them down. Some party suppliers also offer theme based party invites which start the birthday festivities on a great note.

o Make a guest list and post or hand deliver the invites so that no one is left out.

o Decide upon the food menu and the drinks menu. You can plan the food and beverages according to the theme, for example if you are having a Cinderella party then you can have some cool apple food items like apple pie, etc.

o Plan the entertainment i.e. the games that all the children will play. If you are thinking of hiring the services of a joker or a magician then you should do so earlier so as to make sure that they are available on the said day.

o On the day of the party make sure the venue is clean and looks appealing.

o Decorate it with all the decorations that you have planned out.

o If you have planned some games then set them up before the guests start arriving.

o Make sure the food, beverages and the cake are all ready.

o Get the birthday boy/girl ready and head for the venue of one of the most awesome birthday parties you have planned.

Back by popular demand, and because if I watch one more reality show I'm going to blow up, I bring you, More Funny Questions About Life. Yes, it's time once more to pretend you're doing your work while reading these senseless, questions that have no purpose or redeeming value what so ever. The good news however, is that they contain absolutely no saturated fats and are loaded with vitamin B12. Ready? Here we go!

Funny - humorous - mildly amusing Questions 1: What was the greatest thing before sliced bread? How do deer know to cross at that yellow deer crossing sign? If a cow could laugh, would milk come out of it's nose? When French people swear, do they say, "pardon my English"?

Comical - weird - witless Questions 2: How fast do hot cakes really sell? Why is the word abbreviation such a long word? How much deeper would the ocean be if there were no sponges in it? Do fish get cramps after eating?

Ridiculous - zany - laughable Questions 3: Why do they call those small candy bars 'fun size"? Wouldn't it be more fun to eat a large one? If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? Why is the slowest time of the day for traffic called rush hour? If stocks go down any further shouldn't they change the name from Wall Street to Wall Mart Street?

Even more funny - giggle proof - joke filled Questions 4: Why do banks chain down the pens but keep the doors unlocked? Pineapple. No pine, no apples. What's up with that? Why do drive up ATM machines have braille number pads? If you eat pasta and then eat anti-pasta, will you still be hungry?

Wry - slapstick - side splitting Questions 5: Why is there an expiration date on sour cream? Can vegetarians eat animal crackers? Why could the Mission Impossible people always solve the mission? Why do they report power outages on TV?

Zany - laughable - tongue-in-cheek Questions 6: Is there another word for thesaurus? Why is lemon juice made with artificial ingredients while dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons? Why do some water bottles have ingredients listed on them? Why do they put a post office box outside a post office if you're already there?

Even more funny - ridiculous - nonsensical Questions 7: Why don't sheep shrink when it rains? Who shuts the bus door when the bus driver gets off? Why do people say they slept like a baby when babies wake up every two hours? Why do bags of nuts have "may contain nuts" printed on them?

Now some of these you may have heard before and some may be brand new. But no matter what your opinion might be, that was about three minutes of your life you'll never get back. Still, I hope you enjoyed More Funny Questions Of Life. Look for Part Three coming to an internet near you. For more entertainment, please re-read, laugh, and repeat. That's it for now. I'm not kidding. Really. Elvis has left the building.